Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to cables, such as fiber optic cables that may support and carry optical fibers as well as other cable components.
“Dry” fiber optic cables typically use components that include water-swellable material to block flows of water through the cables. The water-swellable material expands to fill air pathways formed between cabled components within the cable when exposed to water, thereby blocking the flow of water through the cable. Typically the water-swellable powder is carried on a yarn or between nonwoven laminates in a tape. Carrying the water-swellable powder on such a medium helps to limit migration of the powder within the cable, such as when the cable bends or stretches and then contracts. However, Applicants have found that water-swellable tapes and yarns may have drawback in manufacturing, such as dropping the water-swellable powder particles on the manufacturing floor, and/or coming in limited lengths that then need to be spliced or otherwise continued for longer length cables. Similar such issues may be present with fire-retardant tapes.
A need exists for a system to support water-blocking a fiber optic cable that reduces and/or eliminates issues associated with conventional water-swellable tapes and yams.